Battery-capacitor power unit



M. MOMATH' I BATTERY-CAPACITOR POWER UNIT May 11, 1954 v 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Oct. 11, 1952 INVENTOR.

MARL McMATH W ATTORN Y May 11, 1954 McMATH BATTERY-CAPACITOR POWER UNIT2- sheets sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1952 INVENTOR.

BY MARL Mc MATH ATTORNEY Patented May 11, 1954 UNITFED' arBATTERY-CAPACITOR rower: UNir' MarlMcMatmNewiiort, Ky assig'horwc. renKinn'eyeJrr; Cincinnati, Oh-im Application'0ctober- 11, 1952, Serial Nb.314,288

6 claime-- (01. 320 1)- 1 2 This invention relates to abattery-capacitor Fig.5 is a'sectionalwiewonlirie 5"5 of'Figj'." powerunit. Fi'gif'fi is a plan viewfparts ofwhi'ch' havebeen' Anobject of theinvention .is-to' provides bro'kn'away forclaritybfdetailandunderstand'="' battery-capacitor power unit 'whiclfis' dimen'; ing',"sioned to be received within the batterycasin'g'bf 5 operative aconventional battery operated photographic adapting th"po\.ver"unitanama 'replace'a flash bulb'device. three dry-"cell batterycoinbination.Another object Of' the iIiVeItitioi'Yis td 'Dfffvi'de isa'sectionarviewon"1ine11 1 of Fig. 6." a battery-capacitor'powerunitwhi'cliincludesa Fig 'i8 "is'a sectional iew taken'online 6- -8 orhousing constructed and arranged "to"'permit" Filfi. readyreplacement ofbatteries; Fig. "9 isa artiai' side"viewof'a typical threef"Still'anothe'r object bfth invention is'to pro' dry-cell batteryca'se'ofa battery operated igni vide'a battery ca acitor"power'unit;'thebvera'lF" tion'" type'photofla'shlainp assembly showing the lengthdimension of which is a multiple'of'thf devicebfFig. 6operatively"associated therewith? lengthdimensionofa standard drycell,"which"" Fig.10"'di'sc'1ose "amodified'fty'peof construc'- my powerunitreplaces'; and wherein-thediame= tion'ofthe lowrb rtionibf b o rhousingv 0f terof said unit approximates the "diametric "'di thedeiiiceillus'trated in Fig.6. mensions of the replaced 'dry'cells;

A further objector the'invention is to provide contact-strip ofFigilO'." a "universal type' battery capacitor power uni'tflfl Forthepastdecade 'so -ca1'1ed"B-'=C or battery-- which may be associatedwith the battery-case capacitorpo'wen'units'have'been used, 'parti'cuof'a two 'or threedry-"cell'batteryoperatedig larlyin"'the"'photographicindustry, for'prOvid.-.-= tion' type""photofiash "lamp assemblyy'thereby" in'g a 'rea'dysource'ofpower; in'*'lieu of dry-cells; greatl'yenhancingits-overall uti1it'y'.'--' pe'r seffonfiringignitiorrtypaphotofiash lamps: Still 'a'further objectof the inventiomisto es Two"problems'haye"confronted"the users of provide a universalbattery-capacitor unit which such"battry=capacitorpowerunits;'theinability includes'-'a first and second housingwhi'eli areto"convenientlyreplace the battery portions of the" telescopicallyenga'gea-ble for'-adapting-th=-u i circuit'when'thy become inefii'cient,ancl'the for use within the batterycase of either a con'Ve tional twoor-='three-* dry-cellbattery-operated with twdandthie 'dry=cell" batteryhousings: ignition-typephotoflashlamp assembly. One-ofthe*primary'objectsof the p es t An'othen-object of the inventionis toprovide ventionisto 'prov-ide 'a highly compact, easy to a batterycapacitor unit wherein the capa'eitoris e b t 1$j'-al i 'I"DOW ni the bary-0 permanently housed within one end thereofg and whicmmay be (1 Ck Yem-oVedencl repl ced by wherein a battery may be 'removablyassotfiatiid' ev a c ildra d de e y e s ate With-'said unit and capacitor, itbeingur 1deflfiewith -the battery case of:either-aconventional two-orthre'e* dry-cell battery operated ignition 1 type phot ofiafsh lam-passemblyi stood that the iife' ofthe capacitor is many' 'time that-of abattery. This construction en'ables the user of--thep0werunit to simply;quicklW-efic- As best -illustrated in Figs; 3 and 4, thepower tively'andinexpensively changebatterieswithun'it comprises :a substantiallytubular housing Qut.1equjring t use'ofLspe'cial. tools a d.=witlit40.-20 -ofdielectric materiar said housing compris out havingto returntheunit: to the-factoryaor inei as besti1lustrated in Fig; a pair ofcom-- service shop for battery replacement.

These and other objects are attained by the means describedhereinand-zas disclosed inrthe accompanyingidrawings in which:

Fig.1 is a plan view of the various component'-: parts "of abattery-capacitor power :unitn Fig. 2 is a view 'of' certain of theparts of 1 partially assembled ready for placing-a-of the-i sidewal1s26,"and upp and lower end walls 28 left half-section of the housingof-Fig; 1 thereunto. 5oeand'30-which define an area A inwhich a capaci-FignB is a side plan view of a completed-battor '33 is receivable?tery-capacitor power unit embodying'the teach. The comple m t y h u slikeWiSe nc ude ings ofthe present invention, an -open sided, closedended, substantially U-' v .4 is a vViewsimilar wt ..1 g;,3 butshowingashaped lower portion 34 integralwith and deabatteryassociated-therewith. spending from -upper--portion 24, whereinsaid 2 Z iwhich "are :adapted to be permanently secured in facialengagementiforproviding the completed. 45sunit' ofFigs. 3 and 4."

Each of the half sections 22 includes comple-- mentar'yxupper portions-24 which include and ofa battery-capacitorpowerunit of Fig. yassociatedwitli a second housing for Fig? 11 is" a perspectivevi'e'w'pf' the' electric ability'bf such units" to'be"interchangeablyused plementary, duplicate, longitudinal half sections are defined bysubstantially continuous annular lower portions are defined by a pair oflaterally spaced side walls 36 which terminate at their lower ends in alower wall 38, for thereby defining an open sided housing in which aconventional 22 /2 volt B type hearing aid battery is removablyreceivable.

Capacitor 32 is of the type which includes a forward terminal 40insulated from and having a metal shell 42 forming a second terminal.The metal shell 42 is in series circuit with rearward terminal 44.

A contact element 60 is receivable within apertures E2 of the upperportions of the complementary sections 22 being secured to, carried byand projecting outwardly thru upper end wall 28 of the unit when thecomplementary halves have been assembled.

A resilient contact member It has a first leg I2 adapted to be receivedwithin a complementary hollow portion 14 in the upper portion A of theshell halves 22 for making frictional, resilient contact with metalshell 42 or" the capacitor 32 housed within chamber A, note Fig. 5.Preferably the free end of leg I2 is provided with outwardly extendingears I3 receivable in lateral extensions id of recessed portion M forthereby precluding accidental or unintentional displacement of contactmember I0. A second leg 16 is disposed and projects downwardly into theupper portion of the battery receptive area 34, portions of first leg :2projecting downwardly thru lower wall 30 thru slot "I8, note Figs. 1 and5. Preferably the free end of leg I6 is turned up as at IT to facilitatethe introduction of a battery therebelow.

A second resilient contact member 83 including a first leg 82, a secondleg 84 and a third leg 86 is associated with the lower portion of theshell halves 22 whereby leg 82 is located in the bottom of capacitorchamber A overlying the upper face 83 of lower wall 30 and in frictionalcontact with the forward terminal 40 of the capacitor, note Figs. 2 and5. The second leg 84 is housed within complementary slots 85 provided inside walls 36 of the lower member for disposing the third leg 86 inoverlapping relationship with the outer face 81 of lower wall 38, saidthird leg 86 comprising the second contact element of the unit, thefirst contact element being denoted by the numeral 6d at the oppositeend of the housing.

A resilient contact member 90 formed integral with third leg 8'3 extendsupwardly around the outer edge oflower wall 38 as at 92, note Fig. 5,and projects upwardly into said lower portion above lower wall 38. Theopposite terminals I02 and lil l of a battery I00, received within theopen lower portion 34 of the housing, will be resiliently engaged by andbetween contact members I2 and 90 for thereby placing the capacitor inseries circuit with the battery. It should, of course, be noted that thepositive terminal of battery I should be in series circuit with thepositive terminal of the capacitor.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an abutment or stop member96 may be formed integral with the third leg 86 and in diametricrelationship with the contact member 90 for thereby providing a stopmember engageable by the lower edge of battery I00, note Fig. 5.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have provided a simple,highly compact battery-capacitor power unit, the capacitor of which ispermanently associated therewith, whereas the battery may be easilyremoved and replaced, at the whim of the user.

With reference now to Fig. 9, the numeral III] denotes the battery caseof a conventional three dry-cell battery operated ignition typephotofiash assembly, wherein the numerals I I2 and I I4 denoterespectively the opposed contact members of the assembly, it beingunderstood that these contact elements are suitably connected to opposedelectrodes within flash bulb receptacle H6.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the length characteristicsof the power unit illustrated in Figs. 1-5 is of a dimensionsubstantially equal to the combined end-to-end length of the dry cellsof a two dry-cell battery operated ignition type photofiash lampassembly, and the diameter of the power unit approximates the outerdiameter of said batteries, whereby said device may be inserted into thebattery case of a two dry-cell battery assembly for converting thedevice from battery operation to battery-capacitor operation.

In order to eiliciently adapt the power unit of Figs. 1-5 for use withthe battery case of a conventional three dry-cell assembly, I haveprovided a second housing I20 having an open upper end I22 and a closedbottom end I24, and provided with an axial bore I26, dimensioned totelescopically receive the first housing 26.

A shelf, barrier element, or intermediate wall I28 is provided withinthe second housing engageable with the lower end of the first housingwhereby the overall length dimension of the composite unit assemblyillustrated in Fig. 6 is substantially equal to the overall length ofthree batteries disposed in end-to-end relationship, which batteries arereplaced by the composite battery-capacitor power unit. Suitablecontacts I30 and 32 interconnected by means of conductor I35 areprovided, it being noted that contact I30 is provided in intermediatewall I28 to be engaged by contact element 86 of the first housing.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I have illustrated a modified type of contact barwherein the numerals I40, I42 and I44 designate corresponding andequivalent portions of elements I30, I32 and I34 of Fig. 6.

The housing I20 may comprise a pair of complementary, duplicate,longitudinal half sections permanently secured in facial engagement,wherein lips HH and I43 in cooperation with conductor bar I44 areadapted to assist in clamping the complementary half shell sections infacial engagement.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have thus provided simple,yet highly efiective means for converting either a two or three dry-cellbattery operated ignition type photoflash lamp assembly over tobattery-capacitor operation.

Contact members It and resiliently engage contacts I02 and IDA of thebattery for thereby retaining it in series circuit with the capacitor,it being understood that contact elements 60 and 86 or 60 and I32 or I42are constructed and arranged to replace the terminal contacts of thebatteries replaced by my power unit.

It should be understood that various changes may be made in thestructural details of the device, within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An elongated, substantially tubular housing for a battery andcapacitor, said housing comprising a closed upper portion in which acapacitor is fixedly and permanently contained, and an integralopen-sided, substantially U-shaped lower a portion in which a batt'ery'is removably receivablei a contac-t element proj ectingoutwardlyr thibugh that end of-the-upper portion of said i l remote =--from-'--saidlower=:portion,= said housin contact element in series circuitwith =on'eterminal of said capacitorra second-contact elementextendingfrom=that-er1d of the lower'portion of f the housing remoteirom said first mentioned contaet element, said second contact -elementin series circuit with the other 'terminal of-sa-id capacitoit contactmembers within said "lower portion -fr=ictiona*lly engageable by" theterminals J of"a -battery disposed-within said lower portion, ancl meansconnectingsaid con-tactmembers in series circuit-with the terminals ofthe capacitor.

2$=-'A battery-capacitorunit of thereplaceable ba tt'ry type'y which'un'it' comprises anelongated tubular-housing-dim'ensionedto be receivedwithin the' batt'ery'case' of a conventional battery operated ignitiontype photofiash lamp device, said lower portion including a pair oflaterally spaced sideewalls the lower ends of -which are intercom:

nected by a lower wall, contact elements secured to and carried byopposite ends of the housing, said contact elements constructed andarranged to replace the terminal contacts of the batteries replaced bysaid unit, means connecting said contact elements in series circuit withthe terminals of the capacitor, and contact members within said lowerportion, each contact member in series circuit with one of the capacitorterminals, said contact members adapted to frictionally engage theaxially opposed terminals of a battery inserted therebetween forsecurely though releasably securing said battery in series circuit withthe capacitor and in and against accidental or unintentionaldisplacement from said lower portion. 3. A universal battery-capacitorunit for use with and selectively receivable within the bat tery case ofeither a conventional two or three dry-cell battery operated ignitiontype photoflash lamp device, said unit comprising a first and a secondtubular housing, said first housing dimensioned to be received withinthe batter case of a conventional two dry-cell battery ignition typephotoflash lamp device, contact elements secured to and carried byopposite ends of the said first housing constructed and arranged toreplace the terminal contacts of the batteries replaced by said firsthousing, a capacitor and a battery mounted within said first housing,means connecting each contact element in series circuit with a terminalof said capacitor, and means connecting said battery in charging circuitwith said capacitor, said second housing having an open and a closed endand dimensioned to be received within the battery case of a conventionalthree dry-cell battery ignition type photoflash lamp device, said secondhousing having an axial bore dimensioned to telescopically receive saidfirst housing, means including a contact member in said second housingengageable by one end of the first housing for disposing the other endof the first housing outwardly of and beyond the open end of the secondhousing, a contact element secured to and carried by the closed end ofthe second housing, and means connecting said contact member and contactelement of the second housing in series circuit, the contact element onthe exposed end of the first housing and the contact element of thesecond housing constructed and arranged tomeplace the termina'l contactsof the batteries replaced by the composite' unit*comprising said"tio'zrfor delining-an open sided' housing in which a battery isremovably receivable, a=contact-ele ment securedto: carriedby andprojectingoutwardly :throughthat end wall of the upper por- Y tionremete'from said-lower portion, said contact ele'ment in series circuitwith one-terminal ofsaidcapacitor, a second contact element *securedtoiacarried by and extend-ing irorn the free endof he lowerportion, said second contact e1e-'-"- men n 'series circuit withtbeother" *terrrrinab '.of said' -capacitor;=contact memberswi-thin--and*-- at-opposite ends of said lower portion fr-ictionallyengageable by the terminals of a battery disposed within said lowerportion, that contact member at the outer end of the lower portion inseries circuit with said second contact element, the other contactmember in series circuit with said first mentioned contact element.

5. An elongated, substantially tubular housing of dielectric materialfor a battery of the type which includes a terminal at opposite ends andcapacitor of th type which includes a forward terminal insulated fromand having a metal shell forming a second terminal, said housingcomprising a pair of complementary, duplicate, longitudinal halfsections secured in facial engagement for defining an upper portionincluding substantially continuous side and opposed end walls whichdefine a closed housing for a capacitor, and an open-sided, closedended, substantially U-shaped lower portion integral with and dependingfrom said upper portion for defining an open-sided housing in which abattery is removably receivable, a contact element secured to, carriedby and projecting outwardly through that end wall of the upper portionremote from said lower portion, said contact element in series circuitwith the second terminal of said capacitor, a second contact elementsecured to, carried by and extending from the free end of the lowerportion, said second contact element in series circuit with the forwardterminal of said capacitor, contact members within and at opposite endsof said lower portion, one of said contact members including a first leglocated in said closed housing in contact with the metal shell of thecapacitor, and a second leg extending through the lower end wall of saidupper portion and projecting downwardly into said lower portion forfrictional engagement with one terminal of a battery mounted in saidlower portion, the other of said contact members including a legintegral with said second contact element projecting upwardly into saidlower portion for frictional engagement with the other teriminal of abattery mounted in said lower portion.

6. A battery-capacitor power unit comprising an elongated, substantiallytubular housing of dielectric material for a battery of the type whichincludes a terminal at opposite ends and capacitor of the type whichincludes a forward terminal insulated from and having a metal shellforming a second terminal, said housing comprising a pair ofcomplementary, duplicate, longitudinal half sections permanently securedin facial engagement for defining an upper portion includingsubstantially continuous side and opposed end walls which define aclosed housing dimensioned to receive and wholly enclose a capacitor,and an open-sided, closed ended, substantially U-shaped lower portionintegral with and depending from said upper portion and defined by apair of laterally spaced side walls the lower ends of which arepermanently interconnected by an integrally formed lower wall fordefining an open-sided housing in which a battery is removablyreceivable, a contact ele ment secured to, carried by and projectingoutwardly through that end wall of the upper portion remote from saidlower portion, said contact element in series circuit with the secondterminal of a capacitor housed within said upper portion, resilientcontact members within and at opposite ends of said lower portion, oneof said contact members including a first leg located in said closedupper portion in resilient, frictional con- Number 8 tact with the metalshell of the capacitor, and a second leg extending through the lower endwall of said upper portion and projecting downwardly into said lowerportion for frictional engagement I with one terminal of a batterymounted in said lower portion, the other of said contact membersincluding a first leg located in said closed upper portion in frictionalcontact with the forward terminal of the capacitor therein, a second leghoused within one of the side walls of said U-shaped lower portion, anda third leg overlying the outer face of the lower wall of said lowerportion, said third leg comprising the second contact element of theunit, a resilient contact member integral with said third leg extendingupwardly around the outer edge of said lower wall and projectingupwardly into said lower portion for frictional engagement with theother terminal of a battery mounted in said lower portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NameDate

